


B is for Baba Yaga

by HomeForImaginaryFriends



Series: The A,B,Cs of Mythical Creatures and Monsters [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Growing Up, M/M, Magic, Pre-Relationship, Slow Build, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 12:04:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14080533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/pseuds/HomeForImaginaryFriends
Summary: Tetsurou is mind his grandmothers magic shop when he gets an unexpected visitor.





	B is for Baba Yaga

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING! The dog does die but it dies of old age. I wanted to put that in the beginning because I don't want to make anyone unnecessarily upset if they are going through something similar. She lives a long and happy life though.

Tetsurou let out a deep sigh as he sat down in an armchair in the corner of the crowded shop. Most people wouldn’t question Baba Yaga’s actions but most people weren’t the old witches grandson. Why the ancient woman decided to make her hut into a shop that travelled wherever it was needed was beyond Tetsurou. Why the woman suddenly decided she needed a vacation and tricked her grandson into watching over that shop? Well, that was just his grandmother and there wasn’t much anyone could do about it.

Even after near a century of living, Tetsurou was still trying to figure out if his grandmother even liked him. She had been quite displeased when her only daughter ran off to Japan to marry a Guardian Deity, even more displeased when their elopement resulted in a baby boy. His mother had to threaten not to allow Baba Yaga to see her grandbaby anymore if she kept changing the babies genders. If Tetsurou grew older and felt as if they were a girl then they could talk.

Another strike against Tetsurou was that when he did become older, he preferred being a boy. His grandmother hadn’t spoken to him for 10 years after that statement. Luckily they were all long lived creatures and a decade or two wasn’t quite so long to them.

Tetsurou’s mother had warned him when he had received the note from his grandmother, asking for presence at her hut. Even his father had looked wary at the summons but one simply did not go when Baba Yaga called upon them. So off Tetsurou went and now he was stuck.

In the hut turned store that was alive and liked to hide his bedroom from him whenever he forgot to sweep the floors or put something back into the wrong place. His grandmother was nowhere in sight and it was impossible to tell how much time had actually passed when he wasn’t allowed to leave the shop. He figured his mother would give it a century or so before coming to rescue him.

The little bell above the door chimed cheerfully and Tetsurou hit the back of his head repeatedly against the back of the chair. He just wanted some peace and quiet where he wasn’t trying to translate foreign tongues and find whatever item they needed in the chaos of his grandmothers shop. He was sure it made sense to her but the old chicken legged hut liked to play tricks on him.

Tetsurou peered around an overpacked bookcase to see a slightly surprising sight. Which said something considering he was the grandson of an infamous Slavic witch. Near the door, huddled underneath a table was a little boy with a trembling puppy held in his arms. The boy and puppy were both drenched and Tetsurou could suddenly hear the downpour of rain outside as the hut settled into a new location. There was also a small trail of blood from the boys nose.

Curious despite himself, Tetsurou got up and grabbed two towels that had appeared on the arm of the chair. Children and witches of old creation don’t really go hand in hand, unless said ancient witch was using the child as a stew. Tetsurou had never seen a kid enter the shop except for himself but he had been kept close by a very protective mother.

“Hello there.” Tetsurou knelt down by the table and the boy looked at him with wide eyes, pulling the scared pup close to himself.

“I’m very sorry!” The boy near shouted. Tetsurou almost cried at the boys language, it seemed the hut had taken him back to Japan. He missed it and wondered what had changed since he had been gone.

Tetsurou could hear the patter of feet running outside and the boy stiffened, big brown eyes going even wider in fright. There was cursing, the splash of feet going through puddles as they talked about losing someone. Tetsurou was observant enough to put two and two together. Clearly the boy had rescued the poor puppy from the attack of some other boys. He had gotten a hit in the nose for his trouble and now he was hiding out in a witches shop to get away from them.

It made more sense why the hut had taken them there, had allowed the boy refuge inside. The crazy hut might stand on chicken legs but it was no more a chicken than Tetsurou, but it was an ancient thing and sometimes when things got so old they took on a life themselves. The hut might like children as much as Baba Yaga did, but they both liked those who took care of creatures smaller and weaker than themselves.

“Here, dry yourself off and I’ll dry the little one off.” Tetsurou held out the towel. The boy looked like he was struggling to obey his elder but still wanting to protect the puppy, but he reluctantly handed over the shivering dog and took the towel himself.

Tetsurou sat on the floor as he carefully towel dried the puppy.

“Whoa!” The boy laughed and Tetsurou glanced up at him with a grin as he took the towel over his wet arm, marvelling at how when he took the towel away it was completely dry. The boy laughed, losing the last dredges of darkness and fear on his face as he quickly put the towel all over himself. “How’s it do that?” The boy asked as he covered his head before pulling the towel away and running his hand over his dry hair.

“Magic.” Tetsurou said simply, wrapping the towel around the small puppy who was now dry also.

“Cool!” The boy grinned widely, showing off a missing tooth. Tetsurou loved that about children, they didn’t need a full explanation about everything and they easily accepted what you told them. Magical towels that instantly dry things? That sounds real.

“What’s your name?” Tetsurou asked and the boy shifted so he could sit on his legs and bow.

“Sawamura Daichi, thank you for letting us hide here mister.” Tetsurou cringed at the mister part. He was only 94! The kid was really making him feel old here.

 

\----------------

 

Kimi bounded up from her bed by the great fireplace that hadn’t been there a couple minutes before. Tetsurou looked up from his book keeping, though he had no idea why he continued to try and organize the mess of a store.

An energetic boy ran into the store, shouting out a half hearted greeting towards Tetsurou before throwing himself at the big white dog.

Tetsurou was sure he had been working in the store for at least a decade by then and never had he seen any repeat customers. The shop appeared where people needed it, they got what they needed, and then they moved on. But Sawamura Daichi continued to come back. Though Tetsurou guessed he could explain that away because the puppy Daichi had rescued when he was younger stayed inside the hut. Apparently Daichi had a habit of rescuing animals and his house was already full.

Tetsurou didn’t mind Kimi’s presence. She seemed to be some sort of Great Pyrenees mix. Tetsurou could measure time in the years that Daichi grew and knew it had been two since Daichi first showed up with the small wet bundle cradled carefully in his arms. Kimi was quite big now, full grown and outweighing Daichi but it was as if she knew how much bigger she was than the boy and always took care.

“Dango! Thank you!” Daichi called out and Tetsurou shook his head. He had long ago stopped trying to lecture the young boy on the dangers of accepting treats from ancient and magical huts. So far the hut hadn’t poisoned Daichi but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t yet.

After some snacks and play time with Kimi, Daichi settled down at the kotatsu that only appeared when he was there and started in on his homework. Tetsurou had no idea why the small child was so diligent when he clearly wanted to take Kimi and run outside but he always finished his homework before taking Kimi for her walk. The big dog stretched out next to the boy and waited patiently, tail thumping on the ground happily whenever Daichi reached down to give her a pet.

Tetsurou pulled his eyes away from the domestic scene, making a face at the books in front of him. These were not the books he had so diligently been taking notes in. Damn hut, why didn’t it ever make dango for him?

 

\------------------

 

“I got into Izumitate!” Daichi announced as he rushed into the hut but stopped suddenly as Tetsurou’s newest customer turned to stare at him. He was mostly hidden beneath a large trench coat and dark hood but nothing could hide the taloned feet he stood on. “Sorry for the intrusion.” Daichi bowed deeply before disappearing between bookcases and tables.

The customer turned back to Tetsurou, giving him a disapproving look.

“Dangerous.” The customer whispered, several voices speaking as one. Tetsurou worked on carefully wrapping up the item the customer needed.

“Thank you for your patronage, please come again.” Tetsurou said, a little more forcefully than he usually did. The customer took the package before slowly ambling out of the store.

Tetsurou knew it was dangerous for a mundane child to continue to visit the hut. He had assumed that as time passed Daichi would forget about this place, as most did. Tetsurou did not know if it was some magic Baba Yaga had cast or if it was part of the protection the hut set on itself but no one remembered them for long.

Except Daichi.

“So you got into your number one pick for middle school?” Tetsurou asked, watching as Daichi’s dark head popped up from behind a bookcase looking sheepish yet excited.

“Yes!” Daichi nodded, appearing fully with Kimi following closely behind.

“But it’s just a middle school.” Tetsurou said, just to needle Daichi. He was such a serious kid and Tetsurou couldn’t help but tease him.

“This is the first step into my future Tetsurou!” Daichi slammed his acceptance letter onto the counter, starting his lecture off strong as he waved the scroll around. Kimi sat near him, looking up at him with adoration as if everything he said was magic itself. Tetsurou put his elbow on the counter and pressed his hand to his mouth, trying not to laugh because he knew that would really get young Daichi started.

 

\---------------

 

Daichi showed up completely drenched through from the heavy rain as he had a decade ago. Tetsurou had walked over with another towel in hand but before he could hand it over to Daichi, the teen leaned forward and pressed his face into Tetsurou’s shoulder, drenching the taller man quickly. It had been such a long time since Tetsurou had comforted anyone that he floundered for a moment before wrapping his arms around Daichi’s thin shoulders the same way Tetsurou remembered his father comforting him when he was younger.

Through tears Daichi told Tetsurou that the same night Daichi was accepted into a top rated high school on a volleyball scholarship, his mother fell ill. She wasn’t doing well and it explained his absence from the shop. Daichi felt a wave of guilt for even thinking of himself but he couldn’t help but see his future slipping through his fingertips. Volleyball meant so much to Daichi but he couldn’t go to his top pick now that his mother was sick and his father needed help with the twins and the house.

Tetsurou did not think that was selfish of Daichi. He was only 15 after all, he was allowed to think of himself first and foremost. But Daichi had already decided on a closer high school, one with a subpar volleyball team.

Tetsurou put the towel over Daichi’s head and let the boy cry into his shoulder for a lost future.

 

\------------------

 

Bitter disappointment and an incredible work ethic carved Daichi into a truly wonderful young man. From a young age Tetsurou had been removed from the mundane population. Their lives were so fleeting and he had never seen anything too special or magical about them that he had stopped trying to interact with them. But seeing Daichi’s progression from young innocent boy into a sturdy, strong willed man was a kind of magic Tetsurou hadn’t expected.

Now Daichi was heading away to college, on a sports scholarship of all things. He had turned a ragtag team of troublemakers and upstarts into a team to fear and be watchful of. As much as he tried to push that off onto other people, most knew it was due to Daichi’s strong captaincy that saw them through it.

Daichi also turned out to be intelligent and mischievous, which were a devious combination.

Tetsurou wasn’t expecting the young man to turn up the day of his graduation but he wasn’t exactly surprised either. What did surprise him was that Daichi was quite drunk.

“Your father is going to kill you when he finds out.” Tetsurou grinned as he helped Daichi to the sofa, which was already covered with a sheet and blanket thanks to the hut. Kimi laid on her bed next to the sofa, softly wagging her tail at the sight of Daichi. She was quite old by now and didn’t get up to greet Daichi by the door like she had in her youth.

“No, it’s fine, I’m fine, I just need to sleep it off, right? This will be gone by tomorrow, right? What if they find out and kick me out of school before I’ve even started!” Daichi worried, laying sideways to pet at Kimi before slumping down. Tetsurou laughed as he patted Daichi’s hip.

“Just sleep it off.” Tetsurou assured him, moving to stand but suddenly stopped by Daichi’s hand around his wrist. Daichi pulled himself into a seated position and stared up at Tetsurou, wavering between hesitation and a powerful look that had Tetsurou sitting there in complete stillness.

Tetsurou would be a complete idiot if he hadn’t noticed the small changes in Daichi’s behavior towards him. The blushing and unintentional flirting, and the intentional flirting that was equal parts terrible and endearing with inexperience. The way Daichi’s eyes lingered on Tetsurou’s lips when he talked and other such small things that Tetsurou could mostly ignore because he was sure Daichi would never do anything about it.

Then again neither of them had expected Daichi to show up drunk with his inhibitions torn away.

“Tetsu.” Daichi said softly, too softly and Tetsurou tried to pull away to save the teens easily damaged ego.

“Daichi don’t-”

“I like you.” Daichi rushed out, leaning forward to kiss Tetsurou but he backed up quickly.

“Daichi I’m sorry but you’re just a kid and I would never do that to you.” Tetsurou said softly. Daichi blinked up at him, confusion and hurt whirling around in the brown depths.

“So it’s an age difference thing?” Daichi asked.

“I don’t feel the same way.” Tetsurou said firmly though not unkindly. He didn’t want to unnecessarily hurt Daichi but he didn’t want to give the kid false hope either. Tetsurou had never seen him that way.

“Okay.” Daichi pulled away, his face flushed from embarrassment and alcohol. “I’m sorry.” Tetsurou rubbed Daichi’s head before pushing him gently down onto the sofa.

 

\--------------

 

Tetsurou sat on the floor numbly. He heard the bell above the door chime distantly but he couldn’t get himself to move. He curled his fingers around the collar until it bit into the palm of his hand. He had been left in charge of Daichi’s most precious possession and Tetsurou hadn’t been able to keep her safe. Daichi had brought life and laughter into Tetsurou’s gray existence and he had failed to do the one thing Daichi had asked of him, the only thing Daichi had asked of him through the years.

“It is the store!” A deep voice said in shock before heavy steps came closer. “I didn’t know it could transfer to Tokyo, why didn’t you-” Daichi’s voice cut off as he finally came around the corner and caught sight of Tetsurou on the floor. He couldn’t even look up, couldn’t see the look of happiness transform into one of hatred.

A bag was dropped to the ground before Daichi knelt next to Tetsurou, carefully uncurling Tetsurou’s numb fingers before pulling the collar out from between them.

“I’m sorry, I tried everything.” Tetsurou said softly though he knew it wasn’t enough. Kimi was the whole reason Daichi continued to come back to the shop. He was away at college but Tetsurou had known he would visit for breaks and he couldn’t even keep Kimi alive long enough for Daichi to come back. “I didn’t know how to get into contact with you.”

“Tetsurou.” Daichi said softly, too softly before he pulled Tetsurou to him. Daichi was wider than Tetsurou remembered him being the last time they had hugged, when Daichi’s mom had first gotten sick. He had seemed skinny then but he was broad and warm now.

“I failed.” Tetsurou admitted, accepting the comfort even though he didn’t think he deserved it.

“Tetsu, you didn’t fail.” Daichi curled his fingers into Tetsurou’s messy hair, carefully working through every knot he came across. “Kimi was very old and I wish I could have seen her before she- but I know she was happy with you. She loved you, you took care of her for as long as you could. You gave her everything she could have wanted.”

Tetsurou couldn’t help but think this wasn’t the first time Daichi had gone through this. Did his parents comfort him the same way he was comforting Tetsurou when his first dog passed away? Did Daichi then have to comfort the twins when they experienced it? It seemed too cruel.

“Why bother?” Tetsurou asked and Daichi gave a watery laugh, cheek resting on top of Tetsurou’s head.

“It hurts a lot now but would you really give up all the time you spent with her because of this?” Daichi asked, arms tightening around Tetsurou. “You saved her, gave her the life all dogs deserve.”

“You saved her.” Tetsurou reminded Daichi, thinking of that tiny boy with the little puppy in his arms.

“No, I just rescued her.” Daichi stated with conviction and then they were silent, just the sound of the crackling fire as Daichi continued to comfort Tetsurou with actions rather than words.

 

\---------------

 

Tetsurou finished organizing the last shelf and took a step back to survey his handiwork. The entire shop floor was organized now, the hut finally allowing him this semblance of order after years of moving things around the second Tetsurou looked away. It still looked like complete chaos but at least he knew where everything was.

It only took him over two decades to do so.

The door flew open and Tetsurou felt the hut nearly vibrating with happiness which could only mean one thing.

“Grandmother.” Tetsurou turned to see his old grandmother. He knew she could magic herself to look anyway she wanted but she seemed to enjoy looking like a harmless old lady in her mismatching patterned clothes and wispy gray hair. “Mom!” Tetsurou rushed forward to embrace his mother, who hugged him tightly back.

“Oh Tetsurou.” His mom pulled back to place a hand on the side of her sons face, frowning deeply as she looked at him. “Something terrible has happened. If I had known I would have dragged her back earlier.”

“Don’t go blaming my hut for his broken heart!” Baba Yaga waved around her cane, managing to whack the back of Tetsurou’s thighs for good measure though he hadn’t said anything.

“I’m not blaming the hut, mother.” Tetsurou’s mother hissed out, eyes lighting to an amber color as she tugged her son closer to her.

“I told you you should have married that nice Troll or even the Ogre, at least he wouldn’t have so many feelings.” Baba Yaga carressed the wall of her shop. “Bah, you had to go and make my grandson with a Spirit of all things and now look, you look at him. He’s all broken!”

“He is not broken just because he’s hurting mother, I cannot have this conversation with you again, it’s the same thing over and over for the past century.” Tetsurou slipped behind his mother and rubbed a hand through his hair. He knew how long this argument could last and even though he was the current topic, he wanted no part of it.

Tetsurou took a deep breath and slipped out the front door. He was surprised when the hut let him go so easily but it was probably sick of his constant organization and meddling. As ready to be free of him as Tetsurou was of it.

“Dad.” Tetsurou grinned happily as he crossed the street to where his father sat on a park bench. He had decided to look human today, though his father could take on any form he wished, he choose to look like an older version of Tetsurou with the same unwieldy black hair and lanky form.

“Did they go straight to arguing?” His father asked, reaching out to pull Tetsurou into a tight hug.

“Grandmother says I’m broken and mom says I’m just heartbroken when I am neither of those things.” Tetsurou barely stopped himself from whining. Whenever his parents came around he felt like a child again and he had to resist the urge to act like one.

“Is that so?” His father gave him a knowing smile as he peered down at him.

It was unfair having such supernatural parents who could take a single look at him and know all his secrets.

Tetsurou had been doing fine. Daichi had visited often after Kimi’s passing but as Tetsurou had thought, Daichi didn’t need the hut when Kimi was gone and his visits became less frequent. After Daichi graduated university the visits had stopped all together and Tetsurou knew that the magic had finally worked on Daichi, that he had forgotten about the hut and the man who worked in it.

There had still been plenty to do and there were always customers coming into the shop so Tetsurou didn’t have time to sit around and pine. Not that he would have because he certainly hadn’t fallen for the mundane man with the wide shoulders and warm smile.

Tetsurou wasn’t even sure when he had fallen for Daichi or when the other man had forgotten about his crush on Tetsurou but the timing could not have been worse. But it didn’t matter because Tetsurou would never age and Daichi was human. Tetsurou would have had to watch Daichi age and die as he had with Kimi and Tetsurou wasn’t sure that was a death he could recover from. Even thinking about Kimi still sent a pang of hurt through Tetsurou.

It was better this way, Tetsurou was sure of it.

The hut behind them skittered around on nervous chicken legs as the fighting inside grew wilder.

“I’m going to go for a walk.” Tetsurou said, listening to his father's deep laughter that made the wind pick up around them and the sun break apart from the clouds. “Where are we?”

“Sendai.” His father said with something hidden in his eyes. The city was familiar though Tetsurou was sure he had never been there before.

They hugged once more before Tetsurou started walking down the alley that the shop was hidden in. He came out onto a slightly busy street with many shops lining the road.

As Tetsurou expected things had changed in the 20 or so years he had been stuck in the shop but not so much that things were unrecognizable. People still hurried about, noise filled the air, and everyone seemed to be in a rush.

After a bit of wandering Tetsurou went into a coffee shop. He ordered the first thing off the menu plus one of the muffins in the display case that looked too tempting to pass up. He choose a seat by the window that would allow him to people watch, taking in the new fashion that seemed to mix older styles into something new. He liked all the pastel colors too.

“Can I sit here?” Tetsurou looked up at the sound of a familiar voice, words catching in his throat until all he could do was nod numbly and watch as the man dressed in a nicely fitted suit sat down across from Tetsurou with a warm smile.

“Daichi?” Tetsurou asked, had to make sure though he was positive who he was seeing before him. The smile turned up a couple notches, made Tetsurou’s heart pound in his chest.

“I’ve been looking all over for you Tetsurou.” Daichi admitted, a light dusting of pink splashing across his dark cheeks.

Tetsurou felt his mind suddenly change as he remembered Daichi’s words when Kimi had passed and he thought he would never want to go through that pain ever again. All the days spent with Daichi, all the teasing and smiles, all the good and bad Tetsurou would take it all and the heartache that was sure to come at the end of it just to know Sawamura Daichi.


End file.
